The most common response when you ask someone “how are you?” on any given day, more than likely has the word ‘busy’ featured heavily in the reply. Not having enough time is certainly an affliction that seems to be plaguing most of us trying to juggle family, partner, kids, work commitments, a social life and all important ‘me time’. As a mother of 5 boys and working on a business from home, time, or lack thereof, is certainly one of my catchphrases.

Last week I was fortunate enough to go on a fabulous week long holiday with my family and the notion of ‘time’ kept popping in to play. I seemed to be getting these constant reminders about time, the importance we place on getting more of it but at the end of the day our inability to stop it ticking along.

On the plane I read an article about a woman with 9 kids who was also a CEO of a large company and still had time each week to devote to each child separately…..she always wants more time but she is making a good go of what she has and appeared to achieve so much.

I read about a young girl who committed suicide after online bullying…..if only she had more time to be shown that life had so much more to offer her.

I organised a Heartfelt photography session for a family whose baby was given only days if not hours or minutes to live after birth….the preciousness of that time cannot be put in to words.

I read Mitch Albom’s book “The Time Keeper” which is essentially about how we would change the way we live if we did have more time.

I had a dinner in the outback under the stars whilst a guy with a laser pointed at stars and galaxies hundreds of thousands of light years away….lets say they have been there for quite some time

I touched geographical formations that began forming 300 million years ago. I saw a massive rock that the dinosaurs would also have laid eyes on.

I counted down the days of my holiday wanting time to slow down so I didn’t have to return to washing, cooking, supermarkets, homework supervising, sweeping and cleaning.

On the return trip I planned out a schedule of how my work could better fit in to my lifestyle. I had written previously about our reliance on mobile phones and our lack of control and subsequent failure to often connect with people. I wanted to take some of the lessons I learnt whilst away of limiting the use of the phone whilst others were around. Especially the kids.  I want to be better at allocating time for certain tasks, whilst freeing up other time to do whatever comes along.

I am hoping to be ok to sit outside and watch the boys play without feeling guilty that I could be doing something else. To enjoy coffee with friends (ok so I am already pretty good at this one).

To do more work when kids are asleep, more than likely in the morning as I am generally a little more switched on at that hour!

To devote certain times of the day to checking emails/facebook and twitter feeds so as not to be distracted constantly. To get over the FOMO….the fear of missing out

I’d like to go back to meal planning so I don’t waste time (and money) going to the supermarket 5 times a week

I actually think I fit a lot in to most days. I am pretty good at time management and getting things done. But it is something I think we can always have another look at….especially if it is in order to free ourselves up to live in the moment and enjoy more of the little things. You will not see any major changes to the way I live…but already I am just that little more conscious of how I spend my time.

I know we have no power to control the passage of time, but we do have control over how we use it.

Could you make some changes to how you spend your time?